Milestones: News & Possibilities for Seniors - September 2020

NEWS AND POSSIBILITIES FOR SENIORS

A Publication of

September 2020 • Free IN THIS ISSUE

PHILADELPHIA SOUND Music to our ears

P10

EXERCISE IS MEDICINE

Help fight age decline

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SENIOR CENTER MONTH

Stories of steadfast dedication

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PCA’S ANNUAL SENIOR ART EXHIBIT GOES VIRTUAL FOR 2020 P8-9

NEXT MONTH: Health Care

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September 2020

EDITOR’S COLUMN

By Alicia M. Colombo, Milestones editor This month, PCA proudly presents its first virtual Celebrate Arts & Aging exhibit, which showcases the work of artists 55 and older. For the past 17 years, Celebrate Arts & Aging has included senior art exhibits at pop-up galleries throughout the city. However, this year, the exhibit will be hosted entirely online. Check out some of the amazing art on pages 8-9. The full gallery can be viewed at pcaCares.org/ CelebrateArts.

WHAT IS PCA? Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) is a nonprofit agency dedicated to serving Philadelphia seniors. In addition to bringing you Milestones newspaper, PCA offers: • Care in the home • Home-delivered meals • Home repairs and modifications • Protective services • Senior centers • Caregiver support • Employment and volunteer programs • Legal services • Transportation

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” ~ Thomas Merton • Ombudsman services • Health education • Information and referral For more information, call the PCA Helpline at 215-765-9040 or visit pcaCares.org.

Call 24/7 to report suspected elder abuse.

Published by Philadelphia Corporation for Aging

Najja Orr, President and CEO Board of Directors Katherine E. Galluzzi, D.O., F.A.C.O.F.P., Chair Judee M. Bavaria, Vice Chair Satya B. Verma, O.D., Secretary Glenn D. Bryan, Treasurer Louis A. Bove, Esq. Nora Dowd Eisenhower, Esq. Lynn Fields Harris Angela Foreshaw-Rouse Fran Miller Victor M. Negrón, Jr Lenore Wasserman Scola Eloise N. Young Jacqueline S. Zinn, Ph.D. Emeritus: Arthur E. Helfand, D.P.M.

PCA Helpline: 215-765-9040 Outside Philadelphia toll-free: 888-215-765-9041 (TDD) pcaCares.org

Milestones is published monthly and distributed at more than 1,100 locations throughout Philadelphia, Lower Bucks and Eastern Montgomery counties.

Check us out online: pcaMilestones.org.

Editor: Alicia M. Colombo 215-765-9000, ext. 5081 PCA, 642 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19130 Email: MilestonesNews@pcaCares.org Advertising: Teresa Heavens 215-765-9000, ext. 5053 Email: Teresa.Heavens@pcaCares.org Subscriptions & Distributions: Lucea Jennings: 215-765-9000, ext. 5050 Email: Lucea.Jennings@pcaCares.org Home delivery: $12/year

The views expressed in Milestones are not necessarily those of Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA). Milestones will not knowingly accept or publish fraudulent or misleading advertising.

Milestones reserves the right to edit, revise or reject ads. Milestones assumes no responsibility for errors, misprints, omissions or misinformation; for failure to publish an ad; or for any damages of any kind. Neither the publisher nor any other party is rendering expert advice in this publication.

No part of this newspaper may be reproduced without the permission of PCA. ©2020 Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. All rights reserved.

Creating art is a beautiful expression of how one views the world. The first – and perhaps most crucial – step to becoming an artist is to let go of the idea that art has to be perfect or that it must look a certain way.

Art takes many forms. My artistic pursuits include writing and photography. But my favorite is scrapbooking. I quickly embraced what some may consider a craft as a form of art because my layouts are unique.

Other artists will always have superior skills, but no other scrapbooks will ever look like mine.

Art is certainly an enjoyable activity. But it is so much more than that. The benefits of art reach far beyond the edge of the canvas.

Art stimulates the imagination Open your mind to possibilities and let your creativity flow! Art encompasses a holistic view of life: beauty, faith, love, storytelling and even fantasy.

Art makes you more observant Leonardo da Vinci said, “Painting embraces all [10] functions of the eye: darkness, light, body, color, shape, location, distance, closeness, motion and rest.” By creating art, you are forced to focus on detail and pay attention to your environment.

Art improves problem solving There is no wrong way to create art! Some of my best work was developed through creative attempts to cover up mistakes. Mak-

ing art engages your mind and encourages creativity.

Art reduces stress During the last five months, I completed more than 100 scrapbook pages! It is how I’ve dealt with my own feelings of despair and isolation during the pandemic. Creating art provides a break from problems and negativity, because all my thoughts and energy are focused on my work.

Art is for everyone!

Anyone can be an artist. Have you always wanted to try drawing, painting, sculpting or photography? Don’t put off exploring your artistic side any longer. For inspiration, go online or contact your local senior center. Some are offering virtual art classes via Zoom, including weaving by Journey’s Way and knitting/crocheting by Center in the Park. Others are sending art materials to seniors at home.

Funded by PCA

Milestones wants to hear from YOU! Send your story ideas, feedback & submissions to: Attn: Milestones Editor PCA, 642 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19130

Email: milestonesnews@pcaCares.org

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September 2020

PCA applauds seasoned artists with virtual festival

By Shannon Reyes Each year, artists who make up the bright and vibrant older adult artistic community from all over Philadelphia and South Jersey, both professional and amateur, send Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) original artwork of all subjects to be displayed at locations throughout the city.

Artists are still creating wonderful work that will be on display, even though the medium for this year’s annual festival is going to look a little different.

While this event is typically held in May, the physical art exhibits and artists receptions had to be canceled this year.

However, PCA is pleased to announce the first virtual Celebrate Arts & Aging showcase starting in mid-September..

The virtual art exhibit will be featured on pcaCares.org/CelebrateArts, as well as on senior center and sponsor websites. All artwork submitted was photographed and assembled in a slideshow.

This year, 98 pieces of art featuring diverse subject matter were submitted by senior artists.

high school and from there developed a love for oil pastels. After some time working with pastels, she then tried her hand at acrylic paints and fell in love with that medium. She prefers acrylic paint due to its minimal mess and low odor, which is important since most of her artwork happens at either the island in her kitchen or in her living room.

Grilli’s painting, titled “Digging the Beach,” is a recreation of a photo she captured on a beach in Naples, Florida – a place where Grilli and her sister vacation to each year. “Digging the Beach” is one in a series of four beach-inspired paintings.

Grilli also frequents the beaches of Nags Head, North Carolina and Ocean City, New Jersey, where she is a member of the Ocean City Fine Arts League. She loves using beaches as inspiration for her art, so she never forgets to pack her Kindle and camera on a trip to those sandy shores.

“I found my old passion – art – and

Digging the Beach Lolly Grilli retired from a 30-year career with the federal government in 2005 and dedicated her free time to rediscovering her passion for art.

“Back in high school, I always was an artist,” said Grilli, 70. “I always thought of myself as an artist but didn’t know if I could really do it again, after all these years.”

Grilli took an evening art class at a local

“South African Diptych” by Lee Arnold, 60

“Digging the Beach IV” by Lolli Grilli, 70

combined it with my passion for the beach,” she said.

A South African Diptych Lee Arnold, 60, is a newcomer to the festival after he submitted one of his acrylic paintings into this year’s festival after reading the call for submissions in Milestones newspaper. Arnold is a self-taught artist, who largely draws his inspiration from South Africa.

His passion for the region began while completing his doctorate studies in archival science at the University of South Africa. While Arnold studied remotely, he was able to attend his graduation ceremony in Pretoria and spent two weeks touring South Africa alongside his husband. Today, Arnold channels his experiences in South Africa into his artwork.

“I’m always remembering the beautiful setting in South

Africa,” said Arnold.

His submission, “A South African Diptych,” is one in a series of paintings Arnold created while taking an art class at the Philadelphia Art Center in Queen’s Village. The piece features mid-century South African pottery and a traditional Zulu shield on one side of the diptych and a portrait of what Arnold described as his imagination of Jan Christian Smuts, prime minister of South Africa from 1939-1948, taking a ferry back to Cape Town to see the positive progression the city has made.

As Chief Operations Officer and Senior Director of Library & Collections at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Arnold is a librarian and archivist by trade. He enjoys the relaxing effects he has found in painting, especially during the pandemic.

Arnold also takes great pride in completing new art pieces and is currently working on a new series of paintings titled, “Pussycats and Pachyderms.”

“It brings me joy to look at [my paintings] and say, ‘I really like these. I think they’re quite good,’” Arnold said.

Shannon Reyes is public relations specialist at Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.

September 2020

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Recipe Box

Tasty, vegetable-packed recipes This year, Labor Day takes on a very special meaning as we celebrate the American workforce, including those working from home and all essential employees who have continued to work in public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are some great recipes for your Labor Day cookout. Both recipes are under 30 minutes prep time, so you can take advantage of a day that was meant for rest and relaxation. iStock

Three-Bean Salad Ingredients: Kosher salt and pepper 1 lb. green beans, trimmed 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 small clove garlic, finely grated 1 pt. cherry tomatoes 2 tsp. orange zest (from 1 orange) 2 tbsp. orange juice (from 1 orange) 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil 1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed 1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed 2 scallions, sliced Directions: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tsp. salt, then green beans, and simmer until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool, about 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Beef and Mushroom Burgers with Snap Pea Fries Ingredients: 8 oz. cremini mushrooms 12 oz. lean ground beef Kosher salt Pepper 12 oz. snap peas, strings removed 2 tsp. olive oil 4 whole-grain rolls, split Lettuce, tomato and pickles for serving Directions: In a food processor, pulse mushrooms

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and cook, tossing occasionally, until just beginning to split, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and toss with orange juice, vinegar, and sesame oil, then sesame seeds and orange zest.

In a large bowl, toss green beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans and scallions. Just before serving, toss beans with tomato mixture, and season with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper.

until finely chopped; mix with beef and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Form mixture into four 4-inch-wide patties.

In a large nonstick skillet, cook patties on medium until browned and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet until very hot. Toss snap peas with olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, without stirring, 2 minutes, then toss and cook until charred but tender, 1 minute more.

Serve burgers on toasted rolls with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles if desired.

(Source: Women’s Day)

If you are SINGLE and

If you are MARRIED and

have a total monthly income of less than $1,615, and less than $14,610 in resources

have a total monthly income of less than $2,175, and less than $29,160 in resources

If you are SINGLE and

If you are MARRIED and

have a total monthly income of less than $1,456 and less than $7,860 in resources

have a total monthly income of less than $1,960 and less than $11,800 in resources

Pennsylvania

Milestones 6

Unique artist finds beauty in nature

September 2020

Photos coutesy of Anne Sowyer

By Constance Garcia-Barrio It’s said that it is up to each of us to find beauty in everyday things. Anne Swoyer, 63, of Mt. Airy, re-envisions common objects as works of art. “I often see patterns or possibilities in aspects of nature,” says Swoyer, an art collector, nature photographer and collage maker.

Swoyer attributes this unique ability, at least in part, to her upbringing. “My dad used to take us to the Wissahickon,” says Swoyer, who grew up in Wyndmoor, the youngest of five sisters. “That gave us an appreciation of the natural world. My dad had an 8mm movie camera. He would be shooting fall foliage and we’d say, “Take pictures of us, daddy!’”

Swoyer’s gift of seeing familiar items in a new light led her to start collecting handkerchiefs in the ‘80s. “I like fabric,” says Swoyer. “I would see beautiful hankies at yard sales and flea markets, and I started noticing that some of them had signatures.”

Her collection now includes several thousand handkerchiefs. Swoyer has given talks about hankies and even taught a class at Cheltenham Adult School. Her

favorites include some playful hankies by Tammis Keefe, who designed them – as well as kitchen towels and scarves – for Lord & Taylor and other high-end stores.

“Keefe’s handkerchiefs are unique, wonderful, and whimsical,” Swoyer says.

“There’s one that shows a group of ostriches. All the birds have their heads in the sand except one, who asks, ‘Where is everybody?’”

A 1990 bird-watching walk at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum opened up new vistas for Swoyer.

“Someone pointed out an owl pellet, which has rodent, bird and insect parts that owls can’t digest,” Swoyer says.

“Owls are beautiful creatures, and they cough up this hairball full of feathers and bones. It’s pretty fabulous.”

Swoyer picked up the pellet and brought it home with her. “One day, I took the pellet apart and found a mouse mandible [jawbone],” she says. Swoyer made a pin with the bone in a tiny box on a black background. “I was working at Weaver’s Way Co-op in Mt. Airy then, and I wore it on my apron,” she says. “A customer admired the pin, calling it a work of art. That response encouraged me to do more.”

Making bone art is slow, meditative work. “I open a pellet and just play with the bones in it,” says Swoyer, who has made different kinds of jewelry, as well as collages for a wall or a shelf. “I make a design, take it apart, then make another one. It’s very organic, not thought out.”

Bone art either interests people or disgusts them, yet either response is fine with Swoyer, as she’ll note: “I just don’t want a blah reaction.”

In recent years, Swoyer has shifted to nature photography. She uses her discerning eye to, again, capture everyday things in surprising ways. “I tend to be a caretaker, a fixer,” she says, “My husband has had some health problems. I find I need solitude, emotional space, so I walk 4 or 5 miles a day. I began using a cellphone to take pictures while I walk. I’m less interested in using a darkroom to change the picture, but I like the images themselves.

One of my photos has a telephone pole full of staples where people posted notices. The pattern of the staples fascinates viewers.”

Swoyer hopes to present her photography in a virtual exhibit on Zoom. “If a small, select group of people admired my work that would be wonderful.”

You learn about and admire her work at BoneArtByAnne.com.

Native Philadelphian Constance Garcia-Barrio writes about many topics, including black history.

August 2020

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PCA proudly presents excerpts from its 2020 exhibit for

“Flower Garden at Horticulture Center” by Andrea DeSouza, 64 “Shall We Dance” by Colomba D’Amato, 79

To view all of the artwork from this year’s virtual art exhibit, go to:

“Mummers: The Captain, 2016 by Bill Skwersky, 78

pcaCares.org/ CelebrateArts “Back to the City” by Ronald Washington, 62

“Birds” by Elizabeth Chiu, 79

Celebrate Arts & Aging is sponsored by:

“Bahiana” by Stacia Friedman, 72

“Hope” by Ronald James, 70

“Two Strong Women” by Gerald Porter, 83

“The Big Garden” by Obed San Martin, 79

“Untitled” by Dolores “Dee” Gatward, 83 “Delaware Sunrise” by Cho Yeung Choi, 83 “Roses and Kitten” by Sit Chun Suen, 80

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September 2020

The sounds of Philadelphia:

MuSic tO oUr EaRs

By Jay Nachman

Billy Carlucci (above inset and bottom, front center) with members of his vocal group, The Essentials, (left to right: Jimmy Sopia, Rich Grasso and Pete Torres) in 1965 after they released their first single on the Smash label.

There’s no disputing Philadelphia’s rich musical heritage. That statement rings true for the hitmakers, the one-hit wonders, the obscure and the famous, as well as every musician in between.

Billy Carlucci is one Philly musician and songwriter who is not as well-known as he should be, despite his accolades. Carlucci set out on a path to a lifetime in music, when he first heard people singing in his Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood.

“As soon as I heard that harmony sound, I decided that’s what I wanted to do,” Carlucci said. “When you hear harmony the first time, it hooks you.”

He put together a singing group, Billy and the Essentials, and began writing songs. A producer heard him and soon the group was in New York cutting the record, “The Dance is Over.” Released in 1960 when Carlucci was 14, it hit No. 1 in Philadelphia, soon followed by other releases and hits.

At John Bartram High School, Carlucci sang in the schoolyard with schoolmate Patti LaBelle and wrote songs with Leon Huff, who later formed Philadelphia International Records alongside fellow Philadelphian, Kenny Gamble.

After serving in the military, Carlucci was signed to Mercury Records in New York as a writer, producer and artist. He wrote songs for Lesley Gore, Ricky Nelson, Jay and the Americans, and The Three Degrees, and wrote and produced The Flamingos, among others. He also cowrote, produced and sang the 1910 Fruitgum Company hit “Goody, Goody Gumdrops.” He was offered the opportunity to sing on The Archies’ hit “Sugar, Sugar,” but turned it down because “I didn’t want to be an Archie.”

After returning to Philadelphia, he began touring with Danny and the Juniors.

For 17 years, they played across the United States and throughout Europe.

Now 75, Carlucci continues writing and recording songs, performs solo and with his group, and hosts a radio show, Cruisin’ Oldies on WVLT (92.1-FM). He is also a 2020 nominee for the East Coast Music Hall of Fame.

His advice to other musicians is: “Never give up. If you give up, you’re done. Once you stop doing what you’re doing in the record industry, it’s over. If you don’t stop, then you’ve got a chance if you’ve got talent.”

• continued on page 11

September 2020

Philadelphia music • continued from page 10

Less unsung, no pun intended, is Paul Williams, who had one hit, the sublime doo-wop single “What was the Cause of it all,” which he wrote and composed. It was recorded in 1961 by his group, The Hi Tones, at the famous Cosimo Recording Studios in New Orleans, when he was 18 and a recent graduate of Central High School. Williams alternates between lead and top tenor on the song.

Paul Williams (far right) with his group the “It’s emblematic of the period, the neo- Hi Tones in New Orleans to promote the single, doo-wop era,” said Bob Bosco, a Philadel- “What Was the Cause of it All?” he learned the record was pressed and rephia music historian.

The original record is treasured by mu- leased.

“I’m appreciative of what people say, sic lovers of the genre, with copies selling for $200. Bosco estimates that only 100 and if I read anything positive, it makes to 300 were pressed. It’s so rare that Wil- me feel good,” said the perennially modest liams himself doesn’t even own a copy. He Williams, 77, a retired city worker.

Williams’ first group, The Scholars, was was deployed to Spain after joining the Air Force, and it wasn’t until recent years that formed at Central. They performed at as-

Milestones 11

semblies but broke up after the members graduated.

He met the other members of The Hi Tones in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he was in radar school. The group performed at Air Force contests, then took the show on the road to New Orleans, 90 miles away. One of Williams’ instructors knew the owner of Cosimo Recording Studios and arranged the recording session.

From Spain, Williams tried in vain to find out what happened to the record by writing to the members of the group and others associated with the release but heard nothing back. In those pre-internet days, there wasn’t much more he could do.

In a return to Philadelphia, Williams made a few fruitless attempts to resume his career. It was difficult to get three or four singers together to sing harmony, he said, because they have to mesh both musically and personality-wise.

“Had I kept it up and the opportunity

presented itself, who knows what would have happened,” Williams said. “It was a nice experience. That’s pretty much how I look at it.” But he chose another path, the Armed Forces, and the rest is history.

Jay Nachman is a freelance writer in Philadelphia who tells stories for a variety of clients.

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Milestones 12

September 2020

Exercise counteracts ageassociated cellular decline​

By Constance Garcia-Barrio

GettyImages

The PA Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program’s mission is to help you protect against, detect, and report Medicare fraud. Health care fraud damages Medicare’s financial viability and has a direct impact on the health care YOU receive. Fraud can increase out-of-pocket costs and can impact your health by decreasing quality of care - you could receive unnecessary or harmful care or be denied necessary treatment or equipment.

Scammers are now using the Covid-19 pandemic to defraud Medicare and Medicaid. They might contact you by phone, by email, or a knock on your door. The aim is always the same: to get personal information like your credit card information, or your Medicare ID number and use it to defraud Medicare. Scammers are exploiting the fear surrounding the pandemic to peddle fake Covid-19 tests and supplies, and unproven and potentially harmful cures or vaccines. Some are even impersonating contact tracers! So, what can you do? The following practices will go a long way to keeping yourself safe from these criminals: 1. Protect and treat your Medicare ID number and card like a credit card.

2. NEVER provide your Medicare or credit card number to anyone who contacts you through unsolicited calls, texts, or emails.

3. If you need a test or a treatment, call your personal doctor first.

If you have questions about or suspect Medicare fraud, or would like to volunteer with the SMP program, please call toll-free: 1-800-356-3606 or visit www.carie.org.

Help is always free and confidential.

Once, it was thought that a single roll of the genetic dice determined how we would age. Now, there’s a new approach to the way advancing years affect us. Age-associated Cellular Decline (AACD) examines factors that can influence our genes and how we age.

“We knew that cells decline as we age,” said Bret Goodpaster, Ph.D., 53, senior investigator at Advent Health Translational Research Institute in Orlando, Florida and winner of the 2008 Nathan Shock Award from the National Institute on Aging. “A newer concept is that we may be able to slow that process.”

AACD zeroes in on nutrition, muscle tissue and the ability of cells to produce energy. We may find it harder to lift a bag of groceries, because we lose muscle tissue over the years, Goodpaster said. Likewise, our cells produce less energy, so we may find it harder to cook, clean, shop and engage in other activities of daily living. “However, studies of AACD show that changes in lifestyle can have an impact on that process,” he said. “It’s very hopeful.”

Older adults have fewer mitochondria, a tiny structure in cells that produce energy.

Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells.

They take fats and carbohydrates and turn them into usable energy. The mitochondria work in tandem with a system that helps the body get rid of free radicals, which can be toxic to cells if left unchecked.

AACD looks at ways to prevent or slow the loss of mitochondria. “We’ve found that one important way to do that is with exercise,” Goodpaster said.

He and his colleagues conducted a small study on the effects of exercise in men and women in their 60s and 70s. “With just a mild program of walking 30 to 40 minutes,

three-to-five times a week, their mitochondrial function improved,” Goodpaster said.

Improvement in mitochondrial function translates into less likelihood of developing certain diseases. “Since we know that mitochondria are impacted in certain age-related diseases, such as diabetes, improving mitochondria may help prevent or mitigate the diseases of aging,” he said.

Awareness of the relationship between more exercise and better metabolism and muscle mass may nudge us toward more activity in our daily routine.

“Let’s say you go to the hospital for surgery,” Goodpaster said. “It’s good to take advantage of every opportunity for activity.

Doing so will mean that you’ll have more energy when you return home.”

Because hospital stays, especially when lengthy, cause a person to lose muscle mass, it’s good to build up your energy reserves beforehand.

Given what’s come to light about AACD, Goodpaster suggests keeping these points in mind: • People age differently. Aging is not a one-size-fits-all situation. Also, your chronological age, or your age in actual years, may be different from your biological age – how old your body feels.

• Exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can slow the changes that come with aging.

• You can improve your health through nutrition and lifestyle. Good nutrition, with plenty of fruits and vegetables, plays a key role in staying healthy. If you have a medical condition, it may be worthwhile to sit down with a registered dietician to develop a diet tailored to your needs.

Native Philadelphian Constance Garcia-Barrio writes about many topics, including black history.

September 2020

Milestones 13

Thinkstock

Personal Care Companion Care Light Housekeeping

Center workers celebrated during Senior Center Month

By Jay Nachman Ervin Guess had older parents, so he’s always had great respect for senior adults.

That attitude has been experienced by many for the past 21 years, or for as long as Guess has served as a custodial worker at the Peter Bressi Northeast Senior Center in the Frankford Section of Northeast Philadelphia. “[In] my generation, you had to have a special caring for seniors to be around them, and I always had that,” said Guess, 50.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the center has halted in-person activities but continues to prepare and package Grab-andGo meals for members and other seniors in the surrounding community.

“I miss seeing them, and it makes me feel good that they are able to still get their meals,” said Guess.

Guess is still at the center every day, staying on top of cleaning. He’s added constant spraying and disinfecting to his duties, so that “the staff doesn’t pick up anything from contact.”

The dedication of senior center workers hasn’t diminished – it’s deepened, as they’ve taken on new roles and responsibilities during the pandemic. As Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) celebrates Senior Center Month, Milestones shares the stories of workers, like Guess, who continue to serve while adapting to new challenges so that the seniors they support can thrive.

“Staff at Philadelphia senior centers, no matter what their assigned role, have a major impact on older adults in the centers,” said recently retired PCA Senior Center Supervisor Mary Catherine Dabrowski.

“Whether arranging classes and activities, serving a nutritious lunch, assisting with benefit applications, providing resources, or maintaining a clean and inviting environment, each staff person touches the lives of older adults. Staff celebrate birth- • continued on page 14

We are a provider for the CommunityHealthChoices program, and we welcome family caregivers through the PA Family Caregiver Support Program.

215-935-6321

www.charterhomehealth.net

Milestones 14

Workers celebrated • continued from page 13

days with seniors, coordinate transportation, provide a listening ear, and make phone calls when someone is sick or hasn’t been to the center in a while.”

Deborah Hoffer is director of the South Philadelphia Older Adult Center (SPOAC), having risen from secretary, the position she started at as a 22-year-old. “[Some members] don’t have people that care about them, but we care about them,” she said about her work, which she described as her calling in life. When the pandemic shut down her center and others, rather than sit home, Hoffer volunteered to deliver meals.

While Grab-and-Go meals continue to be served, SPOAC staff members also

continue to make wellness calls to their approximately 500 members, averaging 125-to-150 a day. “They miss us, and we miss them,” Hoffer said. “They’re so happy to hear a [familiar] voice.”

Mark Weber, a counselor for nearly 15 years at The Center at Journey’s Way in Roxborough, is another necessary, friendly voice checking in regularly with well-being calls to center members. That’s in addition to administering the food box program two days a week at the center and handling referrals.

Instead of meeting with clients face-toface, Weber counsels seniors by phone from his apartment in Germantown, although he admits to missing the personal interaction. “Communication is a lot more than just verbal,” he said. “How a person

sits and the expressions when they talk, provide information as well.”

With so many services shut down because of the pandemic, the work of senior centers remains vital to the communities they serve. “It’s a good feeling that I can keep working and doing something that’s meaningful,” Weber said. “I’m glad I don’t have to be a person who says, ‘no, we can’t help you today.’”

Since the West Philadelphia Senior Community Center opened 14 years ago, Julia Diggs has been keeping the members active and engaged as its program manager. “I get a good feeling just from helping older people in general,” she said.

Diggs brings her creativity to the job, which is why she’ll

September 2020

dress up as singers Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight or Nancy Wilson when leading music programs. Senior center programs “give the members a good feeling and make them laugh,” she said.

With the pandemic, her programming has moved online. That’s where center members who have internet access will find Diggs and fellow staff members putting on game shows, like “Let’s Make a Deal” and “The Gong Show.”

For many older adults, a senior center is their second home. That’s why the hard-working staff at the 28 PCA-funded senior community and satellite meal sites in Philadelphia do all that they can to ensure there is no place like a senior center.

For more information, call the PCA Helpline at 215-765-9040 or got to pcaCares. org/senior-centers.

Jay Nachman is a freelance writer in Philadelphia who tells stories for a variety of clients.

Stay safe, secure and well-cared-for with PCA. Philadelphia Corporation for Aging has 45 years of experience helping seniors get the care they need to stay in their own homes.

For service coordination you can rely on, choose PCA.

215-765-9040 • pcaCares.org

September 2020

Health Brief

Michael Branscom

Milestones 15

Crossword

Solution The solution can be found on page 11.

Wisdom Finds a Way Across

Senior centers are hubs of activity It’s important during Senior Center Month to remember these locations are hubs of social and physical activity. You’ll gain a multitude of benefits by joining one of the 28 senior community and satellite meal centers that are funded by Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA).

Beyond curbing social isolation and loneliness, a senior center is naturally good for your overall health. If you’ve been considering joining or are an active member of a senior center in the Greater Philadelphia Region, you’re already off to a great start in terms of giving yourself the best possible chance at sustainable living.

Need a handful of top reasons why joining a senior center is great for your health?

Sense of belonging Getting involved with a senior center helps create a sense of community and build close relationships. The programs offered not only have an end goal, but you’ll be proud of the work and camaraderie you built on the path. Communal social activity and pride in one’s work releases dopamine, the natural hormone that brings happiness, good feelings and stress relief.

Health and wellness programs From exercise to meditation, senior centers are full of activities to get your body moving. This is great for your heart, as multiple studies have proven people who stay socially active have significantly lower blood pressure than those who are less active. It’s a crazy notion to have to increase

your heart rate to make it work stronger for longer, but it’s a proven science and a staple of any senior center programming.

Counseling Many senior centers offer counseling for a variety of issues or can point you in the right direction should you need to speak with someone. According to the National Council on Aging, approximately 70% of senior center participants are women; of which half of that number live alone. That kind of isolation can result in depression, which going to a senior center could help correct on its own. If not, there’s someone there who can assist you in getting professional help.

Good nutrition is essential Nearly all of the 28 PCA-sponsored senior centers and satellite meal sites operate the PCA Lunch Spot program, designed to provide a well-balanced meal to seniors who could benefit or are unable to fully cook for themselves. A good meal is essential to just about every part of living with vitality, and many senior centers ensure they provide a healthy meal option for all types of dietary needs.

The NCOA also notes that 75% of active senior center members visit their preferred center an average of twice a week and spend just over three hours during their stay. Data that further supports the notion that joining a senior center is a great place for your overall well-being.

Source: NCOA.org

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Our Community. Our Health.

PA Health & Wellness is focused on whole health care, reflecting on a person’s total well-being and meeting each person’s unique needs.

PA Health & Wellness exists to improve the health of its beneficiaries through focused, compassionate and coordinated care. Our approach is based on the core belief that quality healthcare is best delivered locally.

Transforming the Health of the Community, One Person at a Time.

PAHealthWellness.com 1-844-626-6813